


i get to love you

by orphan_account



Series: 8 Days of Reindeer Games [3]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance, Snowed In, Snowmen, Winter Sports, Winter Wonderland
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 10:43:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16952520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: five christmases ago she gave him a promise ring on the rocks by the water.ora continuation from in the name of love, the gang reunites in the future.





	i get to love you

**Author's Note:**

> I’m back, bitches. This is one that has been long anticipated for me. This fic is my baby, and I always kind of wanted to bring it back somehow, and this reindeer games became a great opportunity to! I hope I did it justice, too.. it was really fun to slip back into these characters and to see how ther lives turned out :) 
> 
>  
> 
> prompts for day four are ;- winter wonderland, snowed in, winter sports, snowmen

_**“** What the hell happened? **”** Jughead demanded **“** One minute I’m actually having a good time and then the next there’s two feuding families on a live battle **”**_

 

 

_**“** You two can expose him as much as you want. Social destruction isn’t going to cut it for a betrayal like this, this requires confrontation **”**_

 

 

_**“** Which break up? We’ve had more than one **”**  
**“** You know which fucking one **”**_

  
_**“** What is wrong with me? Why can’t I say it? **”**_

 

  
_**“** I hit him, on the head until his whole body was bleeding on our kitchen carpet. He was a stranger, and I killed him because I thought I was protecting my family **”**_

 

 

_**”** shot in the dark, but I think you’re it for me **”**_

 

 

 **-**   _she makes one final wish then, that the goodness in them will be lasting for a very, very long time **-**_

 

 

 

  
_**((** 5 years later **))**_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Archie! Will you please walk the dog already? He’s gonna tear down our wallpaper over there” Veronica pokes her head out from the kitchen, the scene and sound of their golden labradoodle building anxiety in her skin.

 

Archie is jogging out of their bedroom within seconds. “On it Ronnie! Sorry it was just my dad calling and, Mark wanted my word back before Christmas about filming the pilot up in LA and-“

 

“Archie” she smiles. He looks cute when he’s flustered. Veronica used to think Archie couldn’t get more hot and irresistible in their teenage years, but boy was she wrong. She giggles, “It’s fine, just get back in time for dinner. We promised to watch Home Alone remember?”

 

“I’ll be right back!” He promises, already running for the leash in their organised indoor foyer.

 

“Oh wait!” She catches him just before he disappears from sight. They just moved apartments in New York and she finds herself not seeing him as much in the larger space, she doesn’t like that. “Did Jughead call you back about dinner?”

  
“Yup” Archie grins, halfway out the door. “They’re making it. Love you Ronnie”

  
“Love you too” she smiles when the door shuts, looking out at their view of Central Park and the white Christmas that’s already beginning. She’s finally going to meet her best friend again, after almost seven months.

  
After graduating, she and Archie had gone away together, keeping their promise and leaving for New York City the moment it called them. She missed her friends and the life left behind, but she also knows that they’ll always be Cali kids at heart. They went to college and bought their first apartment together, like they planned. Started auditioning for some theatre gigs and musicals and just about anything they could get on, desperate to find a platform willing to present them, an agency ready to endorse them, their big break. She’s chased the world with Archie by her side and always felt complete with him. Now, it’s overdue to have a reunion dinner with the best friends she ever had. She remembers when her and Betty were studying for the SATs in her parents kitchen, talking about Archie and going to college, like they had any clue; but perhaps they did, after all.

 

 

 

 

 

x:x

 

 

 

 

The entire apartment is decked out with lights and glittery ornaments, red and white swaps on the furniture by Christmas Eve. Everything smelt like baked cookies and pinecones, courtesy of the candles burning that Veronica had set. She and Archie have brought out their tree as soon as Thanksgiving was over, and as soon as December arrived Veronica may or may not have gone a little overboard with her creativity in decorating the perfect household. She’s always been festive, used to take her father’s credit card and never stop until their whole home became a wonderland, but now that she has her own space with Archie it’s special.

 

“Yes, Bernard just tell Mister Mantle and Miss McCoy to come right up. Remember I’m also expecting four- well, _five_ other guests tonight. I’ve put their names on the list, there shouldn’t be any trouble. Thank you” Veronica ends the call quickly when she hears high heeled steps coming on the marble floors.

Josie and Reggie walk in the door looking more fabulous than ever. They’re all leather and zippers and perfectly coiffed hair, and they walk with the kind of admirable confidence. Archie always knew the two would make a good pair. The two had to end things for a while after Josie’s last year in high school, but as they say, things that are meant to be are meant to be. _you found your way back to your first love, what’s more romantic than that?_ Veronica had told Josie backstage one night at the Madison Square Garden. She’d nodded, a faint blush on her cheeks, and then went out to amaze the world with her voice and charisma.

  
“V this place looks spectacular!” She compliments, a pale comparison to the hug she gives. Veronica’s seen Josie probably more than anyone, they tend to see each other at award shows and events, always catching up after a premier of some movie or whenever they’re in the city.

  
_you’re really here, you’re really here_ Veronica whispers between them while she hugs her back. She extends one arm and hooks her fingers with Reggie, who looks in awe at the luxury apartment as if he’d expect anything less from a girl who grew up in the penthouse of a five star hotel her whole life and a boy who’s father designed all the greatest buildings in Los Angeles.

  
“We almost thought you wouldn’t make it” Archie chuckles. He and Reggie give each other that bro hug and he looks the most relaxed out of all of them with his grey sweater and jeans.

  
“We did too. Paris was the last stop in the press tour, but we ended up getting great gifts” Reggie grins. He and Archie exchange a weird look, followed by Josie turning sharply at them. 

  
“I can’t wait to open them!” Veronica clasps her hands together with glee.

  
They hang out for a few hours before the others come. It’s nice to have this time that’s just them, they kick their shoes off and drink wine and watch football while the girls pay more attention to the things that Josie had brought in her suitcase from their trip. Over the years the two couples had seen many double dates together. They’re always up to the date with gossip, some things never change, in both their new circle of friends in the business and the hierarchy back home.

  
They find it weird that their parents are spending Christmas together while they’re out here with their friends, but at least they were okay with being apart from their kids on this holiday for once.

  
“My mom used to say Christmas was wherever we are, as long as we’re with the people we love” Archie offers, leaning back in deep thought. “Looking back that might have just been her trying to justify not coming home.”

  
They laugh, but Veronica nuzzles her head on his shoulder and tells him to not think about such things on a holiday. It’s impossible to not always be thinking of their parents, after everything, but with Reggie and Josie it’s easy to kick back and cherish all the present moments. They make everything more fun.

 

 

 

 

  
Betty and Jughead arrive later with Cheryl and Toni. The latter couple were making their annual trip around the world, this year they’d chosen Europe, and ended in Scotland where Betty and Jughead had been for the book tour on Jughead’s novel. When they’d heard the invitation from Veronica and Archie to spend Christmas in New York with them, the two couples immediately made plans and got together. It’s almost four in the afternoon when they make an entrance, Cheryl and Toni more fashionable of the four, as Jughead is hauling three bags and Betty trying to balance the gifts in her hands and a bundled up carrier.

 

 _you’re my best friend and I’m never letting you go,_ Veronica had told her the day of their graduation. That was when they were a blubbering mess. They took a polaroid of the four of them and Archie has it framed on his nightstand, sometime so final yet so freeing.

  
Veronica takes in Betty with a different demeanour than anybody else, beaming and petting the soft blond hair that’s grown out long, she is her best friend after all. It’s practically mythic by now, the way their lives have blended into each other’s, and now with all of the people who made her who she is together in this home Veronica feels at peace. She finally looks past Betty’s rambling story about their tiring flight and they land on another pair of sparkling blue eyes that enraptures her almost immediately.

  
“She’s grown so much since we last saw her!” Archie exclaims, he’s genuinely shocked.

  
When he and Ronnie took a trip down to Betty and Jughead’s new Ohio home the little one was too small to make out any real distinctive features, they just knew she was perfect.

  
“Babies do grow a lot in seven months Archiekins” Veronica says as she takes the infant from Betty’s arms.

  
They all admire the little being that’s perfectly swaddled in an expensive white knit cloth. First it’s just Veronica who holds her, almost terrified to see two of her best friends somehow perfectly mixed into one tiny precious person, and then Betty lays her on the fluffy carpet so the rest of them can play and adore her too. They adore her long blonde lashes, the tiny little nose and lips that they claim are all Jughead, and her tiny little toes and fingers.

  
“Juliet missed her god parents, almost as much as we did” Betty admits with a tired smile.

  
Jughead eats enough for his family of three during the dinner, as is expected. It still amazes Archie that his best friend since childhood has a baby with someone he loves, and then he realises that they’re all grown up, and just maybe that part of his life isn’t too far away either. Alice Cooper had been immediately upset that her other daughter also became pregnant before being wed, and it was a whole turmoil during the second trimester of a surprise pregnancy that Betty didn’t know wether to apease her mother or take her time. Veronica had been there for almost every second of it, being the friend that knows her mother the most, repeatedly telling Betty that she shouldn’t have to put herself under the stress of a ceremony just because her mother claims that’s the way it should be and she’s still dainty enough to not look pregnant at her wedding.

  
They’d ultimately decided against it, choosing to raise their child and focus on their work first. Alice had to accept it, Polly was doting and supportive of her little sister, and Jellybean was more than excited to be an aunt.

  
The choice of having Archie and Veronica as Juliet’s godparents was as natural as the earth moves, and it still remains to be one of the best decisions they made. As is evident right now when Archie is dancing slowly in the middle of their living room with Juliet in his arms to the soft holiday music.

  
“Look how cute they are” Betty whispered to her raven haired friend, who was already admiring it in a silent stupor. “He’s a natural V”

  
“He is” Veronica agrees, she can’t stop smiling because Archie really does look silly with the dance moves he’s making but Juliet is giggling almost uncontrollably at every twist and turn. He pulls a face at her and her reaction is pure gold, the way she shrieks when Archie unexpectedly tickles her in the ribs and for some reason Veronica’s heart just stops for a second. _Stop it_  she scolds herself, but she can’t help take a picture of them together even though she doesn’t think she’ll ever forget it. 

 

 

  
x:x

 

  
“Are we gonna hit this club or what?” Toni is the one to ask it at the end of dinner. Archie and Veronica had told their friends all about the awesome club down the street from their apartment complex, and how they should get drunk this Christmas, and party the night away like they used to do as teens without a care in the world. Somewhere along the way the ‘carefree’ part ended, but partying is still one of their favourite things and especially together.

 

“Shit” Archie mutters to himself “Guys.. we might not be able to make it out after all”

  
“What? Why not?” Veronica stands up. She’s not going to have their perfect night ruined.

  
“The streets are closed babe, it’s a blizzard out there. We might not even be able to leave the apartment” he reaches for the remote, lost somewhere under the throw blankets and pillows they’d accumulated. “We’re snowed in.”

  
The rest of them blanked, but Jughead looks the slightest bit relieved. “I don’t know if I should feel happy we aren’t going clubbing or seriously wonder how I’m gonna be stuck in here with all of you guys”

  
“Juggy!” Betty scolds.

  
“You’ve seriously been on your high horse since high school, Jones” Reggie rolls his eyes from the seat opposite Jughead’s. “We’re not _that_ bad.”

 

“Cut it out you two” Josie says finally, shooting a warning glare to her boyfriend.

 

They decide to make the best of the situation. There’s no point trying to fight the weather, even though Cheryl, Josie and Toni comment about not being able to wear the party dresses they brought with them. It’s below zero degrees out and almost everyone feels a little jet lag, but the night isn’t over yet. Veronica brings more wine and champagne out and they refill the table with all sorts of sweet treats, cookies, brownies, lava cakes. They catch up on some of the moments from years past, and then of course Cheryl jumps in being her most chaos loving self.

  
“Guys! I have an idea” she sips her drink “How about we play Truth like we used to?”

  
“Oh _that_ always ends up great” Josie says as seriously as she can after drinking too much egg nog at two in the morning. “Hope no cops show up this time.”

  
“Come on I promise it won’t be as dramatic as it was. We’re all adults after all” she wasn’t taking no for an answer. “I’ll start. Drink if you’ve ever.. released a book!” Cheryl points in the direction of Jughead, who immediately shakes his head as everyone else starts laughing and booing.

  
“That’s way too easy” he says after a drink. “I’ll do one. Drink if you’ve ever been snowed in”

  
Everyone drinks, tipping their glasses and throwing down the rest of whatever concoction or wine. Archie and Reggie are already feeling pretty hammered and they don’t need to be downing drinks like that right now, especially when there’s eight people in an apartment with breakable things all around, and they’re clumsy enough on their own.

  
“Okay that was lame” Cheryl laments.

  
“Relax Cher it’s probably better to play boring cards considering our history” Veronica reminds her. The two girls share a knowing smile, they’ve been through a lot together, but the good always outweighed the bad.

  
“Sorry then you’re probably not gonna like this one!” She covers her red lips like a child before saying. “Drink if you’ve ever kissed your friend’s boyfriend!”

  
The air turns silent when no one makes a move to drink, sharing looks among each other and turning confusedly back to Cheryl’s amused one. Her face falls seeing that no one remembers.

  
“Um, Cher?”

  
“You guys seriously don’t remember? V’s sweet sixteen?”

  
There was a collective gasp from the table. Betty turned to look at Archie and Veronica, her face scrunched up. “Ugh- your sweet sixteen.. kinda wish you’d forgotten _that_ ”

 

“I do too!” Veronica agrees. She reaches across the table to hit Cheryl on the shoulder while the room erupts in uncontrollable laughter. Betty hides her face in her hands and Archie squeezes Veronica’s shoulder, they’re all older and it’s obvious where their hearts always were that there’s no harm in anything. There’s a lot more craziness brought up after that, from the time they danced on tables together at Isle the night before finals and the dark, drastic switch of times when Josie was involved in an accident in New York and the turmoils that went on while they were there.

 

Before, it was just them on their own trying to survive and not lose themselves along the way- even though with life, it always ends up happening. But tonight they have a family that’s faced the worst the world has to offer, overcame it, and not only did they walk away; but towards something better. Finding their own meaning of life, and a future filled with hope, love and happiness for each other. 

 

 

 

 

 

x:x

 

 

 

 

The next morning, it’s still snowing, almost like it never stopped the entire night they were up talking. Veronica makes it into their kitchen and sees the white powder of ice clogged up on her balcony. It’ll be hard to get rid of later, but right now it actually looks kind of beautiful. There’s something especially beautiful about the way today feels too. Maybe it’s the fact that there’s Juliet’s baby snow boots on her living room couch next to where Reggie had somehow knocked out last night, or the sound of Cheryl and Toni laughing about something from the hallway by their room. Or the mess that covers her entire floor from gifts they unwrapped and souvenirs from travels abandoned once everyone headed off to sleep.

  
They’re going to build a snowman on the roof of the apartment. All of them, they’d planned it last night. It came up when Archie said he’d always wanted to build a snowman growing up, but it never happened for all of them since they grew up in California. Betty has, back when she lived in Riverdale as a child, and apparently there’s nothing more fun than building and dressing your own snowman after hot chocolate on Christmas morning. And after all they’ve been through, they deserve it to have a magical moment together that might make up from their borderline traumatising youths. So they won’t let it slip away, even though the forecast was right and the weather feels almost too cold to plough and palm snow in their hands.

  
“Juliet’s first snowman building! Let me take a picture of us V” Betty has her and Veronica, and the tiny human that rests in her best friend’s arms squeeze in for a ridiculous photo with their not so great snow creation in he background.

  
Veronica adores it though, holding her goddaughter is starting to become less awkward and she might even be getting a hang of it.

  
“Ronnie!” She hears Archie call from a few feet away, waving his hand at her. “Come over, take a walk with me”

  
“What?”

  
“Just go V” Betty says with a little smile, taking Juliet back into her arms. “We’ll just hangout here.”

  
“Um, okay”

  
She takes Archie’s hand and they leave the rooftop, running back into warm shelter of the elevators except he doesn’t stop it at their sixth floor. He smiles at her and hits Ground instead, continuing to lead her out. They just got the clear to leave the building and he pushes the heavy glass doors open for them, getting hit by some icy air and a picturesque view of Central Park. Archie’s heart is practically pounding against his chest when he turns around and holds out his hand for her.

  
“Come on, I want to show you something”

  
“Are you going to tell me what?” Veronica huffs, as they walk up the familiar street into the park.

  
“It’s a surprise” Archie replied, hugging her waist and playing with one of the buttons on her coat. “Don’t freak out, just trust me it’ll be worth it”

  
Veronica grumbled, giving him an unimpressed look. “It better be, it’s freezing out. We could be with our friends in our house right now”

  
“So our Christmas reunion was successful, huh?” He asked over his shoulder.

  
“I’d say it was...” Veronica trailed off as they came up to the entrance of the park, overlooking all of the twinkling lights of New York City, far off into the distance. But instead of just normal city lights, there’s hundreds of Christmas lights and trees decorated, adding to the beauty of the greenery, with heavy snow falling adding to the sight. Central Park officially turned into a winter wonderland overnight.

  
Archie’s right.. this _is_ worth it to see.

  
“Ronnie?” He calls softly.

  
“Sorry” she turns to him, still taking in the view. “You’re right. This view is beautiful”

  
“Yeah, it really is” he tells her, and she turns back to see he isn’t looking at the lights at all, but he’s looking directly at her.

  
Veronica huffed at him, but she can’t stopped the edges of a smile emerging on her face. “You’re cheesy. Anyway, thank you for helping me gather everyone and everything together for today”

  
Archie grins, stepping closer to her. “Well I have to admit I had some help. Reggie and Josie helped me pick up a gift from Paris that I had made for you. Wanna open it?”

  
“Mhm!” She takes her hand out from her jacket even though it’s freezing, holding out to receive whatever special gift he had for her.

  
Looking down at her, eyes shining, she can practically feel the nervousness radiating off of him and suddenly, he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a diamond ring, placing it on her open palm. The stone shined under the sunlight and reflected in the snow.

  
“Oh my god” Veronica froze, her own heart pounding now, trying to comprehend what’s happening. “Archie..”

 

“Ronnie” he begins softly, getting down on one knee to look up at her shocked face, voice full of emotion. “I remember the moment I fell in love with you. For the first time, that is, because I have many times. That was eight years ago at your parents’ ball. We made a lot of mistakes, but you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I remember running from our parents and meeting on the beach, by the water when I saw you start to believe for the first time. That was five years ago, when we promised each other. So after everything we’ve been through, after everything we’ve survived, I don’t want to wait another minute. Everytime I look into your eyes Ronnie, it’s like I’m falling in love with you all over again.”

  
Archie paused, taking in a deep breath and watching her face crumple up. “Veronica Cecilia Lodge... will you marry me?”

  
Veronica stared at him for a long moment, her whole body trembling as she takes in what he’s saying before realising she hasn’t answered. _I can’t believe this is true, I can’t believe it’s true._

  
“Ronnie?” Archie questioned after a moment, when she started crying, and Veronica quickly pulled him up from his knees and kissed him hard on the lips in answer.

  
“Yes, yes! I want to, so much” she mutters against his lips. “Archie oh my god.. the way you love me it’s- it’s made me someone better than I could ever be” 

 

He gives her an enamoured grin as he slides the ring up her finger, and it’s beautiful, she stares at it, admiring the diamond shining on her hand. “It’s beautiful.. I love you, Archie Andrews”

  
Archie pulls her tightly up against his chest, caressing her cheek softly. “I love you too, Ronnie.” 

 

There’s going to be times when things get too hard, and when it does, when they’re breaking down with the world on their back and it’s too heavy, they’ll remember this moment together. If love is a journey then they’ll take it on in the darkness or the light, whatever may come, in this life, the next, and forever and ever more. Their hearts will choose each other.  

  
She wraps her hands around the back of his neck, the engagement ring shining brightly next to the promise one he gave her five years ago. Her lips find his once again, so passionate she almost pushes him backwards tangled in a heap of kisses and laughter, completely lost in happiness as they sail into the rest of their forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Liked it? Anything I should have added? Let me know


End file.
